A muesli bar looks like a simple snack, but for people with coeliac disease or gluten sensitivity it can hide gluten in several places. Here is what makes a bar truly gluten-free and what to check before you buy one.
Where gluten can hide in a muesli bar
- Grains and flakes: wheat, barley, rye and spelt contain gluten
- Oats: naturally gluten-free, but often contaminated unless specially produced
- Malt and malt extract, which are usually made from barley
- Crispy pieces, biscuit bits and coatings
What the gluten-free label means
In the European Union, a food may be labelled gluten-free only if it contains no more than 20 mg of gluten per kilogram. The label very low gluten may be used up to 100 mg per kilogram. This rule applies to every gluten-free product sold in the EU.
Why cross-contamination matters
A recipe can be free of gluten on paper and still end up contaminated if it is produced on the same line as wheat-based products. This is why the production environment matters as much as the ingredient list. Manufacturers that produce only gluten-free products remove this risk at the source.
A quick checklist
- Look for the gluten-free label, not just a gluten-free recipe
- Check the allergen information in bold in the ingredient list
- If the bar contains oats, make sure they are gluten-free oats
- Watch for malt, biscuit pieces and crispy coatings
How Deom approaches it
Deom manufactures exclusively gluten-free, muesli-type bars. Recipes, sizes and quantities are tailored to our partners, and the bars contain no added sugar unless requested.
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